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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26474626">Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ana_kl/pseuds/ana_kl'>ana_kl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Men's Hockey RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU: Juuse doesn't play hockey, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Post Mpreg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:34:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,678</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26474626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ana_kl/pseuds/ana_kl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pekka's all too aware of their age difference and a number of other reasons why he should keep his feelings for Juuse to himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pekka Rinne/Juuse Saros</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Preds' new media intern is really cute. He's Finnish and Pekka catches the suggestive glances that some of his teammates give him when Juuse's introduced to the team on his first day. Pekka is acutely aware that he's almost 40 and still unmated, thank you. He also picks up on Juuse's sweet scent of wildflowers and sugared lemons, which is more enticing to him than any other omega he's ever met. But he's also aware of how young Juuse looks -- he can't be more than 25 -- and how shy he is when he first meets them. Juuse's technically not his employee, but he's pretty sure that there's a conflict of interest somewhere in there. And while he's confident with who he is and what he has to offer in a relationship, he also thinks that Juuse could do better than someone who's probably nearly twice his age. </p><p>It's hard to be so disciplined when Juuse blushes a lot around him or when his scent turns a little sweeter whenever they're together, though. He can tell that Juuse's attracted to him: it's always easier to tell with younger omegas, and that makes Pekka feel even guiltier as he's reminded of their age difference. He doesn't allow himself to act on it though: he can't. He's got his career with which he won't be completely satisfied until he wins the Stanley Cup and Juuse has his whole life ahead of him. He's gotten to know Juuse a little better over the last months and he knows that Juuse maybe wants to return to Finland some day, where he'll undoubtedly find an alpha and settle down with the family that he deserves. Pekka can definitely provide for a mate and for children but even as he approaches retirement, he's not sure how much he can promise in the way of stability. Whether he's in the States or in Finland, hockey's always going to follow him and it would probably be worse in his home country. </p><p>He probably shouldn't be thinking about a future with Juuse.</p><p>As much as he's aware that he shouldn't get too attached, he and Juuse really do get along. It's hard to imagine otherwise, what with their shared language and interests. Juuse used to play hockey too -- he was a goalie just like Pekka -- but he goes a little quiet, evasive and shy when Pekka asks him why he stopped. Pekka picks up on how Juuse's scent changes a little, goes a little off like he's scared or anxious, and he wonders what it is about hockey that makes Juuse react that way. He wants Juuse to feel safe more than he wants to satisfy his curiosity however, so he never asks again. Juuse does tell him that he'd grown up looking up to him though, blushing deeply as he says it. </p><p>Pekka's good about respecting Juuse's privacy: it's not really hard because it's the decent thing to do, but Pekka does wonder about Juuse's personal story sometimes. His smiles come easy and his melodic laugh is a testament to his age. But he seems really serious sometimes, when he's not working, and he's always embarrassed when he tells them he can't make it to the bar with them to celebrate a win or even just for a night out. In a pretty short space of time, Pekka's become quite protective of Juuse and yeah, he definitely has feelings for him. </p><p>He gets his answers though, when he's leaving the rink after a late practice and he sees Juuse, who looks a little frantic as he talks on the phone. </p><p>"Is everything ok?" Pekka asks softly when Juuse hangs up. </p><p>He jumps a little and Pekka doesn't like how his scent betrays his panic. It's even worse that he's the cause. </p><p>"Um... yeah... I just missed the last bus," Juuse smiles, but it's not his usual bright smile. </p><p>Instead, it's strained and Pekka can't help but to ask him again if everything's ok. Juuse bites his lower lip, looking down and his panic is tangible. Pekka wants to hold him, scent him, anything to calm him down. </p><p>"...I-I have to pick my daughter up from her daycare," Juuse finally says, blushing and still unable to look up at Pekka. </p><p>Pekka's a little surprised, but he quickly schools his reaction and tries not to visibly react to something that Juuse's clearly self-conscious about. He knows that Juuse isn't mated; his scent is a clear indicator that he hasn't been claimed. And if he has an alpha but is still worried about childcare, then his mate really isn't doing a good job of caring for him and it makes Pekka bristle a little. </p><p>"I can drive you," Pekka offers before he can think.</p><p>Juuse looks up, flushing deeply. </p><p>"Oh!...It's ok, I can just call an Uber," Juuse says. "I don't want to waste your time..." </p><p>"You never could," Pekka smiles fondly. </p><p>Juuse smiles a little at that, more relaxed now although Pekka can still detect anxiousness in his scent. It doesn't take much more to persuade him because it's getting late and he really needs to get to his daughter, so he lets Pekka guide him to his car in the stadium's parking. If Pekka's hand lingers on Juuse's lower back, neither of them say anything about it. </p><p>Juuse gives Pekka the address of his daughter's daycare and it isn't far. The drive is mostly silent, but it's an easy, comfortable silence between them and Pekka likes how Juuse's scent is sweet and floral, like it is when he's happy. </p><p>"Thank you," Juuse smiles brightly as he turns to Pekka once they arrive, right out front. </p><p>"Any time," Pekka smiles back. "Do you want me to wait here or I can park over there?" He waved in the direction of the parking lot. </p><p>Juuse's pretty blue eyes widen in surprise. </p><p>"...You don't have to stay...!" He starts.</p><p>"How are you going to get home?" Pekka grins.</p><p>Juuse still looks shocked, then he goes a little serious. </p><p>"Thank you, Pekka," he says, his voice shaky. </p><p>For a moment, Pekka's tempted to lean over and kiss Juuse, but he stays where he is and reassures him that he'll be waiting. </p><p>Juuse's quick and when he returns, he has a sleeping child in his arms. Even as she sleeps against Juuse's chest, her long blond hair tied carefully into braids, Pekka can immediately see the resemblance and his heart beats a little quicker. </p><p>"...She's five," Juuse says softly once Pekka starts driving again. "I...I had her when I was 18," he adds quietly.</p><p>Pekka looks over and smiles privately at the soft, loving look on Juuse's face as he watches his daughter sleep. </p><p>"What's her name?" He asks, curious about how it came about that Juuse had a baby at 18 but choosing not to pry now. </p><p>"Eliina," Juuse answers, a soft smile illuminating his features as he looks at Pekka. </p><p>When they arrive at Juuse's building, Pekka gets out and walks them up to their apartment. Juuse's blushing the whole time, obvious even in the dim evening light and Pekka thinks he's beautiful. Juuse thanks him again when they arrive at the door and, his daughter still asleep in his arms, he stands on his toes, leans in and quickly kisses Pekka's cheek. Both of them look at each other shyly and smile, and as Pekka returns to his car, he doesn't recall feeling this way since middle school. </p><p>He finds the courage to ask Juuse out a few days later and it's not long before Eliina becomes a part of his life, too. It takes a bit of arranging for childcare, but with Pekka at his side, Juuse feels comfortable enough to share with the team that he has a kid despite being unmated. He gets nothing but support from the guys and Pekka's happy that Juuse can finally build something of a family: Juuse confides that things have been a bit tense between him and his family since he got pregnant. Pekka also discovers that the alpha who got Juuse pregnant had been his boyfriend of two years before they spent Juuse's heat together and shortly after, Juuse found out that he'd been cheating on him for a while. Pekka's angry at the unknown alpha, but his anger turns into the equally fierce desire to protect Juuse and Eliina and to give them the future they deserve. </p><p>-----------</p><p>Pekka smiles as he cuddles his omega closer, their daughter wedged between them. She'd wanted braids in her hair overnight so that she can wake up with wavy hair in the morning and Pekka's skilled enough to finish well before Juuse finishes his shower and joins them in bed. Their daughter has her own room, but she's only six and she likes to spend the night with them sometimes, especially since they have a large king bed with silky sheets and a fluffy duvet. </p><p>Juuse's five months pregnant with their son: Pekka's long since considered Eliina to be his own daughter, but this is his first biological child and he can't get enough of how Juuse's scent has changed a little, notes of honey and lavender mixed in with his usual orange blossoms and sweet lemon. He and their daughter are equally fascinated with Juuse's growing bump and Pekka's honestly as excited as Eliina gets every time they feel the baby kick. Juuse just smiles fondly; his scent gives away how happy he feels all the time now. Feeling betrayed and with no alpha to help him through his first pregnancy, having Pekka who loves him and dotes on him and their daughter every day now makes all the difference. </p><p>They make regular trips back to Finland; it feels like home to Juuse again when he meets Pekka's family and they take to him like he's always been a part of it. But they're staying in Nashville for a while. It now feels like home to the both of them and for Pekka, home's wherever his new family is. </p>
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